Special: Elections 96

COMMUNIST PARTY OF GREECE

Headquarters:	145 Irakleiou av., Perissos, tel. +01 2596111
	Egnatia St., Thessaloniki, tel. +031 286546

Brief History
In 1918 the Socialist Labour Party of Greece was founded. In 1924 it adopted the principles of Marxism and Leninism and has been functioning ever since based on "democratic centralisation".

After the civil war (1946-49) it had been declared illegal and its party cadres took refuge in the eastern countries of Europe. In February 1968, during the 12th plenary session of the Central Committee it split and the members of the central committee who were working inside Greece founded a new party under the title KKE (interior) which was never recognised by KKE till it dissolved in 1986.

After the political changeover KKE was legalised and has taken part in every election since then. Despite the collapse of the socialistic countries in eastern and central Europe it is still oriented towards Marxism and Leninism.

In 1989 it contributed to the foundation of the Coalition of the Left and Progress, but it moved away in 1991.

It supported in parliament the coalition government of Tzannis Tzanetakis (July-October 1989) and the government of Xenofon Zolotas (December 1989-February 1990).

KKE: Percentages in general elections 1974-1993.
Note: In 1989-1990 elections, KKE took part in the tickets of the Coalition of the Left and the Progress.

Leadership
General Secretary of KKE has been Aleka Paparega since February 1991. Former general secretaries had been: Grigoris Farakos (July 1989-February 1991), Charilaos Florakis (1972-1989) who is now the honorary president of the party, Constantinos Kolligiannis (1956-1972) and Nikolaos Zachariadis (1929-1956).

Organizational Structure
The supreme directing body of the Communist Party is the Central Committee which directs the party's activity between the Conventions. The Central Committee elects the General Secretary and the Political Bureau which is responsible for the party's activity and puts the decisions of the Central Committee into practice.

The Central Committee also elects the secretariat and maps out its concerns, and the Committee of the party's control.

The convention is the supreme party body that takes place every four years. It decides or modifies the party's Program or Statute, it determines the party's policy for the following four years and elects the Central Committee.

Participating in the convention are delegates of the prefectural and the local conferences. These conferences take part every two years.

The basic party group is the party's Organisation of the Base. Every member of the party is a member of an Organisation of the Base.

The Organisation determines its members political duties and the duties concerning the party and they account for their activities.